Historians and members of Dallas' Black community spoke to The Dallas Morning News about their appreciation of the meaning behind Juneteenth and the...
For many Black Dallas residents, the celebration of freedom and liberty associated with Juneteenth existed well before President Joe Biden signed legislation making it a federal holiday. And some historians, including those in Dallas, say the story of Juneteenth cannot be told without discussing African Americans’ persistence in the fight for their freedom.
Much of the widespread recognition of Juneteenth is credited to Fort Worth-based civil rights activist Opal Lee, who successfully pushed the federal government toLargely missing from the common explanations around emancipation are the stories of those who took freedom into their own hands, said North Texas-based historian and retired university professor W. Marvin Dulaney, who serves as the deputy director of the African American Museum of Dallas.
He explained how the increase in the number of African Americans running away from slave owners led to the Union Army adopting a policy in which former slaves were considered a “contraband” of war. Under the policy, people who escaped slavery in the South were not returned to their former oppressors.
Payton recalled from his childhood how people would celebrate Juneteenth with parades, cookouts and family gatherings. Part of local celebrations was going to watch the Dallas Black Giants, an all-Black baseball team. Hopes, now a minister who spent decades in education, said Dallas has always had Juneteenth celebrations, but the sheer number has increased. There’s also more advertising with the event, but she wants the education of the holiday to be just as prevalent. Monday’s presentations, sponsored by a host of organizations including Remembering Black Dallas, were part of a string of educational and entertaining holiday celebrations this week in the city.
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